The BMW Group is underscoring its leadership as a sustainable company by joining the Aluminum Stewardship Initiative. The aim of this non-profit initiative is to create sustainable standards throughout the aluminum value chain – from responsible business management to compliance with environmental and social standards. The Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI), founded in September 2012, is the first such initiative to establish sustainable standards for the aluminum value chain.

Aluminum also plays a major role in lightweight construction at the BMW Group, alongside carbon fibers. Like carbon, aluminum, which weighs 30% less than steel, also contributes to weight reduction. The BMW i3 uses mainly recycled aluminum or aluminum produced using electricity from renewable sources. As a result, all of the aluminum used in production of the BMW i3 entails much lower CO2 emissions than traditional manufacturing processes using aluminum.

“Our aim is to continue to make a major contribution to future mobility through Efficient Dynamics. Lightweight construction will play a key role in this. That is why we are participating in the development of sustainable aluminum standards. We firmly believe that a cross-industry initiative, with the involvement of civil society, is the right approach,” commented Ursula Mathar, head of the BMW Group’s Sustainability and Environmental Protection department.

By joining the Aluminum Stewardship Initiative, the BMW Group is strengthening its leading role as the world’s most sustainable automobile manufacturer. The BMW Group leads many sustainability ratings and rankings, and has been named industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the past eight consecutive years. In 2012, the BMW Group was also the highest-ranked automobile manufacturer in the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) Global 500 Ranking. The BMW Group has also been listed in the FTSE4Good, one of the most important indices of sustainable companies, for eleven years.